The Lebanese Armed Forces have been identified to take over security responsibilities in the villages of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar al-Gharbiya as part of a pilot program established under a US-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, according to an announcement by the US State Department on Monday.
The framework, which was agreed upon by Lebanon, Israel, and the United States on June 26 following diplomatic negotiations in Rome, calls for a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from southern Lebanon. As Israeli forces depart, the Lebanese military is tasked with establishing security control and ensuring the disarmament of Hezbollah, the armed group operating in the region. The US State Department characterized the selection of these pilot zones as a significant step forward in implementing the broader agreement.
However, the announcement has encountered immediate challenges to its credibility on the ground. Local officials in the designated villages reported that no tangible changes had occurred as of Monday, with the mayor of Froun stating that conditions remained unchanged and characterizing the developments as merely rhetorical. Similarly, Srifa’s mayor indicated he had not been informed of the pilot zone designation and noted that the Lebanese army’s presence in the area predated the recent framework agreement.
The timing of Israeli withdrawal remains ambiguous, as the framework agreement does not specify when Israeli forces will vacate occupied territories comprising approximately one-fifth of Lebanese territory. Israeli officials have indicated their intention to maintain a presence up to 10 kilometers inside Lebanon as a “security zone” for as long as Hezbollah maintains weapons capabilities. Media reports suggested the Israeli military would begin withdrawal from the pilot zones later in the week.
The military situation in the region has resulted in significant casualties and displacement since March, with Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reporting 4,328 deaths and over one million displaced persons. Israel has reported 32 military personnel and four civilians killed during the same period. Iran-backed Hezbollah has rejected the framework agreement, maintaining its demand for unconditional Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.